Pokémon Legends: Z-A - An Innovative Evolution While Remaining True to Its Origins

I'm not sure precisely when the tradition started, however I consistently call every one of my Pokémon trainers Glitch.

Whether it's a main series game or a side project like Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Glitch alternates from male to female avatars, with dark and violet locks. Occasionally their fashion is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest addition in this enduring franchise (and among the most style-conscious entries). At other moments they're limited to the assorted school uniform styles of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they remain Glitch.

The Constantly Changing Realm of Pokémon Titles

Much like my trainers, the Pokemon titles have transformed between installments, with certain cosmetic, others substantial. However at their heart, they stay the same; they're always Pokemon through and through. The developers discovered an almost flawless mechanics system approximately 30 years ago, and just recently seriously tried to evolve upon it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your avatar is now in danger). Across every iteration, the core mechanics cycle of catching and fighting with charming creatures has stayed steady for nearly the same duration as I've been alive.

Shaking Conventions with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, with its absence of gyms and focus on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple changes into that framework. It's set entirely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X & Y, abandoning the expansive adventures of earlier titles. Pokemon are intended to coexist alongside people, battlers and civilians, in ways we have merely seen glimpses of before.

Far more radical than that Z-A's live-action battle system. This is where the franchise's near-perfect gameplay loop experiences its most significant transformation to date, replacing methodical turn-based fights for something more chaotic. And it is immensely fun, despite I feel eager for a new turn-based release. Although these changes to the classic Pokemon recipe seem like they form an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Journey: The Z-A Championship

When first arriving in Lumiose City, whatever plans your created character had as a tourist are discarded; you're promptly enlisted by Taunie (if playing as a male character; Urbain if female) to become part of her team of battlers. You receive one of her Pokémon as your first partner and are sent to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Championship serves as the centerpiece in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" advancement from earlier titles. However here, you fight a handful of opponents to gain the opportunity to participate in an advancement bout. Succeed and you'll be promoted to the next rank, with the final objective of achieving the top rank.

Live-Action Battles: An Innovative Approach

Character fights occur at night, and sneaking around the assigned combat areas is very enjoyable. I'm constantly trying to get a jump on an opponent and launch a free attack, because all actions occur in real time. Moves function with cooldown timers, meaning both combatants can sometimes attack each other at the same time (and defeat each other at once). It's a lot to adjust to initially. Despite playing for nearly 30 hours, I still feel that there is plenty to learn in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in methods that work together synergistically. Placement also factors as a significant part during combat since your creatures will follow you around or go to specific locations to perform attacks (some are long-range, whereas others must be in close proximity).

The real-time action makes battles progress so quickly that I find myself sometimes cycling through moves in identical patterns, despite this results in a suboptimal strategy. There isn't moment to pause in Z-A, and plenty of chances to become swamped. Pokémon battles rely on response after using an attack, and that data remains visible on the display in Z-A, but whips by quickly. Sometimes, you can't even read it because diverting attention from your opponent will result in certain doom.

Navigating Lumiose City

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, though tightly filled. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering new shops and elevated areas to visit. It is also rich with character, and perfectly captures the concept of creatures and humans living together. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, taking flight as you approach like the real-life city birds obstructing my path when walking through NYC. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling on streetlights, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

A focus on urban life represents a fresh approach for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Even so, navigating the city grows repetitive over time. You may stumble upon a passage you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The building design is devoid of personality, and many elevated areas and underground routes provide minimal diversity. Although I never visited Paris, the inspiration for Lumiose, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a metropolis where every district differs, and all are vibrant with differences that provide character. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It has beige structures topped with colored roofs and simply designed terraces.

Where Lumiose City Really Excels

In which Lumiose City really shines, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I loved how Pokémon battles in Sword and Shield take place in football-like stadiums, providing them real weight and meaning. Conversely, fights within Scarlet & Violet happen on a court with two random people watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You will fight in eateries with diners observing while they eat. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a competition, and you'll battle on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) hanging above. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and purple partitions. Various individual combat settings overflow with personality that's absent from the larger city in general.

The Comfort of Repetition

Throughout the Royale, along with subduing wild Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the creature index, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I